Membership Count: Time for a Change in the Clubs
by Phoenix, HSM team writer
Have you wondered why you can only be a member in five clubs?
You can have as many club skins now as you can afford, but you can still only own one club and hold five club memberships total, including membership in the single club you may own. This has presented me with a problem of late. I had to leave a club of a friend in order to keep one space open for the LOOT club. I am having so much fun at the LOOT movie parties on Saturday nights, one of the few times I can be in Home, that I simply had to have this space open. My friend was not very happy that I chose to leave his club, but it was the only option.
I know I am not, could not be the only person in home with this problem. So I wonder, why only five clubs? What is the reason behind this policy? I assume if there is a rule, then there is a reason it exists. It isn’t due to membership fees, since there are none. Is it due to someone perhaps joining rival clubs? Is due perhaps to limited memory slots being available for clubs? Since I have no idea how that works, so I don’t know. I only know that five isn’t working for me.
I personally think that number should be a solid ten. With ten clubs, a person could be a part of some major social happenings in Home. I could have been a part of a yachting club just the other day, but had to keep that spot open — Saturday’s coming. I could have been a part of a gaming club a few weeks back, but nope, had to keep that spot free. Just a month ago, I could have been in a Western club, riding the range on a black mustang — but I don’t think they would have kept my horse for me after I left.
The really awkward part comes when someone sends you an invite and you have to turn it down. There are no words for the silence you receive from the sender, when you say “Sorry but I need that spot free for Saturdays with LOOT.” There’s no point in lying to them, saying I’m full up on clubs. They will know if they send you the invite whether you are or not. Since with the LOOT club you need to send your request every Saturday and hope they aren’t full, you can’t wait to leave a club that night — that space has to be kept free.
Movie night with LOOT is a must! Don’t blame me, blame LOOT! The atmosphere, the buttery popcorn, the syrupy sweet soda drinks, Mike and Ikes, nachos and cheese, gum under the seat– well no, no gum. The TARDIS (now the Hollywood Hills House) is always immaculate. The fun is always humorous and fresh. The people and the movies are great. Nowhere else can you freely enjoy Godzilla and Mothra fighting with Ghidorah, with a like minded group, but here in Home.
So I think it’s time to raise the number of clubs you can join to ten! Not only for me, but for all those people who are missing out on the LOOT movie night, or a gaming club, a Western club, a horror themed club — heck, any number of possibilities of clubs.
I checked the rules for clubs, and though they were written way back in Home’s infancy, there is no reason stated for the limit. There is information on how to purchase a club. This can be done by going to the estates icon on the shopping tab. The original clubhouse is located under a white badge symbol. The purchase of the original clubhouse gets you access to the basic clubhouse space, a somewhat sterile white meeting room. There is information on how to set up and chose a club name if that is your desire.
Forming a club is simple. It is stated that you can only be the leader of one club, and I know some people have more then one account to handle this issue. You can, I assume, be sub-leader to as many clubs as you are a member of, if so appointed. But though the sub-leaders can invite members, only the club owner can delete members, change the furniture, or change the club skin.
There are now numerous club skins available for purchase, with which you can re-skin your club in any style you choose, and change it whenever you wish. Prices range from $4.99 to $9.99, with various bundle packages available. One nice feature of re-skinning clubs is that your furniture layouts for each skin are remembered, and if you return to an old skin you should find your club furnishings intact.
But, getting back to club limits — sometimes there are more than the 32 people that can fit into a clubhouse roster vying for membership in a club. Take the Grey Gamers — their numbers are well over this. I would imagine some members are using secondary accounts to hold their place in the GG club, just as some people use secondary accounts to own more than one club. And remember — if you’re a leader/founder, your own club is counted in the five of which you can be a member, as I stated before. It can get very frustrating.
As long as these limits are in place, I will be a member of four clubs during the week, and five on weekends, for as long as the LOOT movie parties continue. I would love to see an update to the club system in Home. How about it Sony — can we make it a solid ten?
June 22nd, 2013 by Phoenix | 4 comments
Phoenix writes poetry and is a photography enthusiast, along with writing for HomeStation Magazine. She is currently studying for a BFA in Creative Writing and BA with concentration in Photography. psn ID phoenixstorm21
youtube.com/user/phoenixstorm21
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5 more would be a nice start. Nice article.
Althou I can’t see someone being active in ten or more clubs. Five is defetively restrictive. Especially for expanding clubs. With a membership limit of 32 per clubs and over 55 members our Black Hats are divided in 3 squadrons. Wich leave me little rooms for other clubs. If the club keep expanding, soon I won’t be able to be in every parts. Something the Homellings are way beyond.
Indeed. We have 34 MotherShip clubhouses and counting. Not to mention the shared meeting and party spaces. Larger club limits (for the number you can own, for the number you can join, and for the number of registered members per clubhouse) would be very helpful.
I totally agree Phoenix. Been saying this for years now, five certainly doesn’t cut it and for me never has. I do own more than one club because of me alt account, had to add that account because of the Grey Gamers so I made a wedding chapel there which I am about to disband for lack of use and make into a second Grey Gamers chapter because I am constantly shuffling people in and out of the existing one so they can talk in club chat at our meetings.
Another big issue that has been a factor lately is the “club chat disconnect” that many have been experiencing. Sometimes this is a precursor to being booted, but many times the chat feature just doesn’t work at all for people. Why they haven’t fixed this after all of this time I haven’t a clue, I am sure they are aware of the problem by now.
More than 32 members would be nice too, but I think that has more to do with memory restraints, after all each club takes up half a server.
Great read.